Macomb County, Michigan
Macomb County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. The 2010 census recorded its population to be 840,978, making it the third most populous county in the state.www.census.gov http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/2010_census/cb11-cn106.html Of Michigan's five largest counties, Macomb experienced the most population growth (6.7%) between 2000 and 2010. The county seat is Mt. Clemens. Macomb County is part of the Detroit metropolitan area; the city of Detroit is located south of 8 Mile Road, the county's southern border. Macomb County contains 28 cities, townships and villages, including three of the top ten most populous municipalities in Michigan as of the 2010 census: Warren (#3), Sterling Heights (#4) and Clinton Township (#10).US Census Bureau Population Estimates, census.gov, retrieved 2010-Jun-22 The communities range from mature, inner-ring suburbs like the cities of Warren and Roseville to newer, wealthier locales such as Sterling Heights, Macomb Township, Shelby Township, Clinton Township and Washington Township. The county is named for Alexander Macomb, Jr., an early U.S. Army commander. Geography According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of , of which (or 84.32%) is land and (or 15.68%) is water. Lake St. Clair borders the county on the east. Far northern parts of the county, such as Richmond and Armada, are often considered to be part of Michigan's Thumb region. Adjacent counties * Lambton County, Ontario, Canada - southeast, water boundary in Lake St. Clair * St. Clair County, Michigan - northeast * Lapeer County, Michigan - northwest * Oakland County, Michigan - west * Wayne County, Michigan - south Demographics As of the census of 2000, there were 788,149 people, 309,203 households, and 210,876 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,640 people per square mile (633/km²). There were 320,276 housing units at an average density of 667 per square mile (257/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 92.66% White, 2.71% Black or African American, 0.31% Native American, 2.14% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.39% from other races, and 1.77% from two or more races. 1.58% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 18.1% were of German, 17.1% Polish, 13.6% Italian, 7.5% Irish and 5.5% English ancestry according to Census 2000. 87.6% spoke only English at home; 1.7% spoke Italian, 1.4% Polish, 1.2% Spanish, 1.1% Arabic and 1.1% Syriac. Two Native American tribes had over 1,000 residents in Macomb County in 2000. The Cherokee tribe counted 1,781 county residents, while 1,038 reported membership in the Chippewa tribe.Detailed Tables - American FactFinder This is the tribe known as the Ojibwa. Among Asian ethnic groups, six numbered over 1,000 people in Macomb County. The most numerous were the 5,713 Asian Indians, followed by Filipinos (4,155), Chinese (2,489), Koreans (1,853) Vietnamese (1,557), and Hmong (1,103). There were 309,203 households out of which 31.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.30% were married couples living together, 10.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.80% were non-families. 26.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.09. In the county the population was spread out with 24.10% under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 31.50% from 25 to 44, 22.80% from 45 to 64, and 13.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 96.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.90 males. The median income for a household in the county was $52,102, and the median income for a family was $62,816. Males had a median income of $48,303 versus $30,215 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,446. About 4.00% of families and 5.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.00% of those under age 18 and 6.40% of those age 65 or over. The years 2000-2005 saw the African American population in Macomb County more than double. This growth largely resulted from an exodus of African Americans from Detroit. By 2005 Census estimates for Macomb County showed it was 5.6% African American, meaning that the growth of the African-American population in the county had been well over 100% in the last five years. The percentage of Asians had risen to 2.9%, largely fueled by the exodus of the Detroit Hmong population northward into Warren. The American Community Survey showed 1.5% of Macomb County's population reporting two or more races. According to the 2006 American Community Survey the average family size is 3.15. The population of 25 and over is 571,463. 86.9% of that population has graduated from high school, 21% of that population has a Bachelor's degree or higher. About 14.3 of that population is disabled. 12.5% of Macomb's population can speak another language at home. As of 2010 the population of Macomb County was 83.91% Non-Hispanic white, 8.65% Black, 0.31% Native American, 2.98% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.10% Non-Hispanics of some other race, 2.10% Two or more races and 2.27% Hispanic or Latino. History The Ojibwa lived in the area centuries before European contact. The first European explorers arrived in the area during the 17th century. A Moravian colony was established in the county in the late 18th century. They included French fur trappers and missionaries. In addition to the original French and English, later settlers included Germans, Belgians and others who came directly from Europe. In the 19th century the county received many American migrants from New York and New England who were attracted to the area for land and booming jobs. Macomb County was formally organized on January 15, 1818 as the third county in the Michigan territory. At that time, it covered a much larger area than it does today. In 1819 and 1820, large portions of the county were removed to form the counties of Oakland, Lapeer, Genesee and St. Clair. The county was named in honor of General Alexander Macomb, a highly decorated veteran of the War of 1812. The county gained fame in the 1980s and '90s as a bellwether of state and national politics. Macomb's large cohort of working-class, socially conservative whites gave it one of the nation's most prominent concentrations of "Reagan Democrats". Outsider candidates with a conservative-populist bent have done well there in the past (e.g. George Wallace in 1968 and Pat Buchanan in 1992). Parks and recreation Macomb County is home to more than 130 parks covering 12,000 acres (49 km²) managed by the state, regional, county, and local government. There are four major public parks in the County - Freedom Hill County Park, Macomb Orchard Trail, Metro Beach Metropark, and Stony Creek Metropark. The county also has 31 miles of shoreline and over 100 marinas. Government The county government operates the jail, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, keeps files of deeds and mortgages, maintains vital records, administers public health regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of welfare and other social services. The county board of commissioners controls the budget but has only limited authority to make laws or ordinances. In Michigan, most local government functions — police and fire, building and zoning, tax assessment, street maintenance, etc. — are the responsibility of individual cities and townships. In May 2008, Macomb County voters approved the inclusion of a County Executive in a new charter to be submitted to the voters by 2010. A charter commission was elected in November 2008 for the purpose of drafting a charter for submission to Governor Granholm, which was submitted and approved and placed on the November 2009 ballot. The Charter passed with a 60.4% to 39.6% margin.http://www.newsroomsolutions.com/m4/112.html Macomb County Elected Officials * Prosecuting Attorney: Eric J. Smith (Democrat) * County Executive: Mark A. Hackel (Democrat) * Sheriff: Anthony Wickersham (Democrat) * County Clerk/Register of Deeds: Carmella Sabaugh (Democrat) * County Treasurer: Ted B. Wahby (Democrat) * Public Works Commissioner: Anthony V. Marrocco (Democrat) * County Commission or Board of Commissioners: 13 members, elected from districts (7 Democrats, 6 Republicans) * Charter Commission: 26 members, elected from same districts as county commissioners (22 Democrats, 4 Republicans) * Circuit Court: 12 judges (non-partisan) * Probate Court: 2 judges (non-partisan) Noted people from Macomb County Actors/Actresses *Dean Cain, actor, Mount Clemens *Dave Coulier, actor/comedian, St. Clair Shores *Adrienne Frantz, actress/singer, Mount Clemens, Michigan *Faye Grant, actress, St. Clair Shores *Christopher Howe, actor, Shelby Township Athletes *George Herbert Allen,coached in the NFL and USFL, St. Clair Shores *David Booth, NHL player, Washington *Dave Debol, NHL player, St. Clair Shores *John DiGiorgio, NFL Player, Macomb, Shelby Township *Denny Felsner, NHL player, Warren *Derian Hatcher, NHL player, Sterling Heights *Kevin Hatcher, NHL player, Sterling Heights *Bryan Herta, race car driver, Warren *Matt Hunwick, NHL player, Warren *Craig Kowalski, professional ice hockey player, Warren *Craig Krenzel, NFL player, Sterling Heights *John Mazza, PBA bowler, Shelby Township *Shirley Muldowney, race car driver, Armada * Steve Phillips, MLB coach, Warren *John Smoltz, MLB player, Warren *Jim Sorgi, NFL player, Fraser *Matt Taormina, NHL player, Warren *Michele Van Gorp, WNBA player from Duke University, Warren *Doug Weight, NHL player, Warren *Mark Wells, member of the 1980 Olympic hockey team, St. Clair Shores *Johnny White, race car driver, Warren *Ernie Whitt, MLB player, Roseville *Frank Zombo, NFL player, Sterling Heights Musicians *Kid Rock, Romeo *Mitch Ryder, Roseville *Justin Jeffre, (98 Degrees), Mount Clemens *Uncle Kracker, Harrison Township *Eminem, Warren *Proof, Warren *Fred 'Sonic' Smith, St. Clair Shores Other *Joe Cada, professional poker player, Shelby Township *Dick Enberg, sportscaster, Armada *Martha Griffiths, Lieutenant Governor of Michigan (1983–1991), Armada *Alex Groesbeck, politician, Warren *Butch Hartman, creator of the cartoon show The Fairly OddParents, New Baltimore *Ian Hornak, Artist, Mount Clemens *Jerry M. Linenger, NASA astronaut, Eastpointe *Cassandra Swiderski, author, Eastpointe Cities, villages, and townships Cities * Center Line * Eastpointe * Fraser * Grosse Pointe Shores (partial) * Memphis * Mount Clemens (county seat) * New Baltimore * Richmond * Roseville * St. Clair Shores * Sterling Heights * Utica * Warren Villages * Armada * New Haven * Romeo Townships *Armada Township *Bruce Township *Chesterfield Charter Township *Clinton Charter Township *Harrison Charter Township *Lenox Township *Macomb Township *Ray Township *Richmond Township *Shelby Charter Township *Washington Township High schools *Anchor Bay High School *Arts Academy in the Woods *Armada High School *Centerline High School *Chippewa Valley High School *Clintondale High School *Cousino High School *Dakota High School *De La Salle Collegiate High School *East Detroit High School *Dwight D. Eisenhower High School *Fitzgerald High School *Fraser High School *Henry Ford II High School *International Academy of Macomb *Lake Shore High School *Lakeview High School *L'Anse Creuse High School *L'Anse Creuse High School - North *Lutheran High School North *Macomb Academy of Arts and Sciences *Mount Clemens High School *New Haven High School *Richmond High School *Romeo High School *Roseville High School *Southlake High School *Sterling Heights High School *Sterling Heights Parkway Christian *Stevenson High School *Utica High School *Warren Connor Creek Academy West *Warren Mott High School *Warren Lincoln High School *Warren Woods Tower High School Transportation Air *Coleman A. Young International Airport (DET) (Detroit) - General aviation only *Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) (Romulus) - Major commercial airport, hub for Northwest Airlines and Spirit Airlines *Oakland County International Airport (PTK) Waterford Township) - Charter passenger facility *St. Clair County International Airport (near Port Huron, Michigan) - A minor international airport on the U.S. and Canadian Border. *Selfridge Air National Guard Base (Mount Clemens) - Military airbase Major highways Other Major Roads *Jefferson Avenue is a scenic highway that runs parallel to the shore of the Detroit River and Lake St. Clair. It is also the principal thoroughfare for the Grosse Pointes, where it is called Lake Shore Drive. Another important dividing line between Detroit and the city of Grosse Pointe Park is Alter Road, where portions of some intersecting streets have been reconfigured or walled-off in order to thwart vehicular and pedestrian movement from Detroit into Grosse Pointe Park. *"Mile" roads: Surface street navigation in Metro Detroit is commonly anchored by "mile roads," major east-west surface streets that are spaced at one-mile intervals and increment as one travels north and away from the city center. Mile roads sometimes have two names, the numeric name (ex. 15 Mile Road) used in Macomb County and a local name (ex. Maple Road) used in Oakland County mostly. See also *National Register of Historic Places listings in Macomb County, Michigan References External links *Macomb County - Official Website *Office of Carmella Sabaugh (County Clerk/Register of Deeds) *Macomb County Library *Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University, Bibliography on Macomb County *Macomb County Voice *Macomb County Fallen Heroes Memorial (EMS, Fire fighter and Police) Category:Counties of Michigan Category:Macomb County, Michigan Category:Metro Detroit